Italy Suspends Defense Deal With Israel

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has frozen the automatic renewal of a defense pact with Israel following Israeli strikes in Lebanon that have drawn international condemnation.

The suspension includes agreements on military equipment exchange and joint technology research, reflecting Italy's growing frustration with the regional escalation.

Meloni's move comes after she defended Pope Leo XIV against attacks from President Trump, who subsequently labeled the Italian leader a coward for her stance on the Iran war.

The diplomatic fallout underscores the increasing isolation of the Trump administration's Middle East policy among traditional European allies.